Jet boat reverse movement arrangement



Dec. 28, 1965 R. L. COCHRAN 3,226,033

JET BOAT REVERSE MOVEMENT ARRANGEMENT Filed Oct. 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 1.

INVENTOR. RICHARD LCocHRAN BY WZ/JM gn a zl/w Hormns Dec. 28, 1965 R. L. COCHRAN J ET BOAT REVERSE MOVEMENT ARRANGEMENT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1962 INVENTOR. RICHARD L. COCHRAN United States Patent Office 3,226,033 Patented Dec. 28, 1965 3,226,033 JET BOAT REVERSE MOVEMENT ARRANGEMENT Richard L. Cochran, Indianapolis, Ind, 'assignor to The Buehler Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Oct. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 227,249 6 Claims. (Cl. 239265.27)

The present invention relates to jet propelled watercraft and more particularly to a means for controlling the direction of such craft.

One form of jet propelled boat incorporates an engine operatively connected to a pump located within a conduit extending through the boat from an intake opening at the bottom of the boat to an exhaust at the rear of the boat. Water is drawn into the conduit through the intake opening and is exhausted in a stream from the rear of the boat causing the boat to move forwardly. The direction of movement of the boat is controlled by deflecting the stream of water as it leaves the rear of the boat. For example, the stream could be deflected so as to cause the stream to flow beneath and forwardly of the boat causing the boat to move in reverse.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide in a jet boat improved means for controlling the direction of flow of the water as it leaves the boat and for controlling the direction of movement of the jet boat.

One manner in which the stream can be guided so as to move forwardly of and beneath the boat is by a fixed deflector as disclosed in an application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 164,481 of Howard P. Lerwick et al., Rolling Disc Type Gate assigned to the same assignee as the present application. In operation, normal rearward flow of the stream of water is cut off forcing the stream to exit at and be guided by the fixed deflector. In designing the fixed deflector, the conflicting considerations are first to make the deflector project sufficiently to guide the stream and second to make the deflector project as little as possible so that it does not create drag when the craft is moving forwardly.

Consequently, a further object of the invention is to provide a jet boat direction control incorporating deflecting means which operate to properly and thoroughly guide the stream beneath the craft for reverse movement but which does not produce drag when the craft is moving forwardly.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a jet boat direction control which includes the highly efiicient and inexpensive rolling disc type gate of the above mentioned patent application and which incorporates the advantages of that gate yet which includes improved reverse movement means as a part of the combination.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide in a jet boat improved means for positioning the gate or valve which controls the jet flow from the boat.

Related objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

One embodiment of the control system embodying the present invention includes a conduit mounted on a watercraft and having a first exit toward which the conduit extends. Means are provided for pumping water through the conduit toward the first exit for producing a jet therefrom. The conduit has a further exit opening in the sidewall thereof and when suitable valve means are used to shut otf flow through the first exit, water issues from said further exit. A deflector is pivotally mounted on the conduit at the rearward edge of the further exit so as to cover said further exit. The deflector is pivotal between a first position wherein the distal portion of the deflector engages said conduit closing off said further exit and a second position wherein the deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit for guiding water beneath the craft. A spring is fixed with relation to the conduit and bears against the deflector so as to urge it toward the first position but yieldably permit it to assume the second position when the first exit is shut off.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a jet boat incorporating the novel direction control of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary rear elevation of the rearward portion of FIG. 1 with certain elements broken away and showing in detail the direction control of the pres-ent invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of a portion of the structure of FIG. 1 showing the apparatus in a different operating position than FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a jet boat 10 having a hull 11, the hull being provided with an intake opening 12 communicating between the bottom of the boat and a pump 13. The pump 13 has a passage therethrough communicating between the intake opening 12 and a passage through a tail pipe 16 secured to the rear of the boat. The pump 13 is driven by a conventional marine engine 17 by means of shaft 20 and functions to pump water from the intake 12 to and out of the rear of the boat. The water is constricted into a stream by the converging surface of an annular member (not shown) fixed within the exit end 21 or" the tail pipe 16.

The tail pipe 16 projects through a suitable aperture 22 in the transom 25 of the craft into a housing 27 which is fixedly mounted on the transom 25. The housing 27 is sealed to the tail pipe by means of resilient ring 30 which prevents leakage of fluid from the hollow interior 31 of the housing between the housing wall 32 and the tail pipe 16. As is perhaps best shown in FIG. 4, the tail pipe 16 is in registry with a circular opening 33 in the rearward wall 34 of the housing. Consequently, a jet stream formed by the tail pipe 16 will pass directly through the hollow interior 31 and through the opening 33 without an appreciable portion of the stream of water contacting the housing.

A circular shaped flat gate or plate 35 is rotatably mounted at its axis 36 to one end of a vertically extending arm 37, the other end of which is rotatably secured to a further arm 40. Stated in another Way, gravity causes the arm 37 and the gate 35 to hang or depend from the arm 40 and causes the arm 37 to retain a generally vertical position above the opening 33 when the device is in the position of FIG. 2. When the gate is lowered, it may tend to swing to the right or left as viewed in FIG. 2 under the action of the water in the housing; however it will tend to return to a central position in the housing under the action of gravity. The arm 40 is pivoted about axis 41 to the craft 10. A suitable shaft is fixedly secured to the arm 40 for rotation about the axis 41 and is also associated with a suitable lever within the craft 10 whereby the arm 40 can be rotated for raising and lowering the disc gate 35.

The gate 35 can be lowered to cover the opening 33 and to prevent all flow therefrom by the water in the jet stream formed by the tail pipe 16. When the gate 35 is lowered, it is guided by guide members 42 fixed in converging relation to the inside surface of the rearward wall 34 of the housing 27.

When the gate is covering the opening 32, the water exiting from the tail pipe 16 fills the interior 31 of the housing 27. The only other exit to the housing 27 is an opening 38 at the lower end of the housing. This opening is controlled by a deflector 39 which is pivoted about a rod 43 secured to the housing at the rear edge of the opening 38. The deflector 39 is normally maintained in the upward position illustrated in FIG. 4 by means of a pair of leaf springs 44 which are fixed to the housing 27 at the rearward edge of the opening 38 by screws 42. The springs 44 bear against sidewardly projecting portions 48 formed on the deflector 39.

When the gate 35 is moved into covering relation with the opening 33, the pressure of the water within the interior 31 forced the deflector 39 downwardly to the position of FIG. 3. Projecting upwardly from each transverse side of the deflect-or 39 is a guide member 45 having a forwardly projecting finger 46 thereon. When the deflector is in the position of FIG. 3, each finger 46 engages a respective stop element 47 secured to the housing preventing movement of the deflector past the position of FIG. 3. The guide elements 45 also function to define a channel for the stream of water, said channel leading forwardly beneath the watercraft 10.

It will be noted that the bottom 50 of the watercraft is generally horizontal and extends up to and is adjacent to the opening 38. When the deflector 39 is in the upward position of FIG. 3, it is generally flush with the horizontal bottom 50 of the boat and causes no appreciable drag in forward movement. However, when the deflector is in its downward position of FIG. 3, it extends well beneath the bottom 50 of the watercraft. This situation would be intolerable if the deflector 39 was retained in this position when the craft was moving forwardly. However, the deflector 39 is automatically moved by springs 44 to the position of FIG. 4 when the gate 35 is raised to the position of FIG. 4.

The control system is also provided with a conventional steering apparatus 51 incorporating a pair of deflectors 52 pivoted to the housing 27 on opposite sides of the opening 33. When the watercraft is moving forwardly and a jet stream is issuing from the opening 33, the deflectors 52 may be used to deflect this stream to steer the craft. Such deflection is accomplished by a steering element 53 having a pair of depending members 54 engaging the outer surfaces of the deflectors 52. The steering element 53 is fixed to the lower end of a shaft 55 which is rotatably received within bearings 56. The steering ele ment 53 may be pivoted by a member 57 fixed to the upper end of the shaft 55.

From the above description, it will be clear that the present invention provides an improved control system for a watercraft. It will be evident that the reverse movement arrangement of the present invention provides effective means for guiding the stream of water beneath the craft to cause it to move in reverse, yet that said guide means does not cause drag in forward movement.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A control system for jet propelled watercraft comprising a generally straight conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, said conduit being constricted at the opening thereof for forming the water into a jet, a housing secured to the conduit and covering the opening thereof, said housing having a flat rearward wall generally perpendicular to said conduit, said rearward wall having a circular aperture therethrough positioned in registry with said jet, a flat circular disc gate received within said housing in perpendicular relation to said conduit and having a diameter which is greater than said circular aperture,

a first arm rotatably connected at one end to said gate at the axis of the circular configuration thereof, said arm extending upwardly from said gate and being vertically reciprocal to move said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, a further arm rotatably connected at one end to the other end of said first arm, said further arm being rotatably mounted at its other end on said craft, means secured to said further arm at its other end for rotation thereof to raise and lower said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, inwardly and downwardly tapering guide means fixed to said rearward wall and positioned within said housing and arranged to guide said gate into said aperture covering position, said housing having only' one further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further outlet opening downwardly, a deflector pivotally mounted on said housing at the rearward edge of said further outlet and covering said further outlet, said deflector being pivotal between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further outlet and a second position where in said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit below said further outlet for guiding water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guided into said further outlet by said deflector, a spring fixed with relation to said conduit and bearing against said deflector urging it toward said first position, a hookshaped member fixed to said deflector, limit members fixed with relation to said conduit and positioned for engagement by said hook-shaped member when in said second position for limiting said deflector against movement downwardly past said second position.

2. A control system for jet propelled watercraft com prising a conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, a housing secured to the conduit and covering the opening thereof, said housing having a circular aperture therethrough positioned in registery with said jet, a flat circular disc gate received within said housing in perpendicular relation to said conduit, a first arm rotatably connected at one end to said gate at the axis of the circular configuration thereof, said arm extending upwardly from said gate and being vertically reciprocal to move said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, a further arm rotatably connected at one end to the other end of said first arm, said further arm being rotatably mounted at its other end on said craft, means secured to said further arm at its other end for rotation thereof to raise and lower said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, inwardly and downwardly tapering guide means fixed to said housing and positioned within said housing and arranged to guide said gate into said aperture covering position, said housing having only one further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further outlet opening downwardly, a deflector pivotally mounted on said housing at the rearward edge of said further outlet and covering said further outlet, said deflector being pivotal between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further outlet and a second position wherein said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit below said further outlet for guiding water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guided into said further outlet by said deflector, a spring fixed with rela-- tion to said conduit and bearing against said deflectorurging it toward said first position, limit members fixed with relation to said conduit and positioned to limit said deflector against movement downwardly past said second position.

3. A control system for jet propelled watercraft comprising a conduit mounted on the craft extending and opening rearwardly thereof, means for pumping water through said conduit to exhaust from said opening, a housing secured to the conduit and covering the opening thereof, said housing having an aperture therethrough positioned in registry with said jet, a gate received within said housing, a first arm rotatably connected at one end to said gate at the axis of the circular configuration thereof, said arm extending upwardly from said gate and being vertically reciprocal to move said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, a further arm rotatably connected at one end to the other end of said first arm, said further arm being rotatably mounted at its other end on said craft, means secured to said further arm at its other end for rotation thereof to raise and lower said gate to positions covering and uncovering said aperture, inwardly and downwardly tapering guide means fixed to said housing and positioned within said housing and arranged to guide said gate into said aperture covering position, said housing having only one further water outlet in addition to said aperture, said further outlet opening downwardly, a deflector movably mounted on said housing and covering said further outlet, said deflector being movable between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further outlet and a second position wherein said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit below said further outlet for guiding water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guided into said further outlet by said deflector, and resilient means fixed with relation to said conduit and bearing against said deflector urging it toward said first position.

4. A control system for watercraft comprising a conduit mounted on said craft and having a first exit toward which said conduit extends, means for pumping water through said conduit toward said first exit, said conduit having a further exit opening downwardly in the sidewall thereof, a gate received within said conduit and movable to positions wherein said gate allows free flow, blocks or partially blocks flow through said first exit to cause flow through said further exit; a deflector mounted on said conduit at said further exit, said deflector being pivoted to said conduit at the rearward edge of said further exit and covering said further exit, said deflector being pivotal between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further exit and a second position wherein said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit for guiding Water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guidedinto said further exit by said deflector, a spring fixed with relation to said conduit and bearing against said deflector urging it toward said first position, limit members fixed with relation to said conduit and positioned to limit said deflector against movement downwardly past said second position.

5. A control system for watercraft comprising a conduit mounted on said craft and having a first exit toward which said conduit extends, means for pumping water through said conduit toward said first exit, said conduit having a further exit opening downwardly in the sidewall thereof, means for blocking flow through said first exit to cause flow through said further exit; a deflector movably mounted on said conduit at said further exit, said deflector being movable between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further exit and a second position wherein said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit for guiding water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guide-d into said further exit by said deflector, and resilient means urging said deflector toward said first position.

6. A control system for watercraft comprising a conduit mounted on said craft and having a first rearwardly opening exit, means for pumping water through said conduit toward said first exit, said conduit having a further downwardly opening exit, means for blocking flow through said first exit to cause flow through said further exit; a deflector movably mounted on said conduit at said further exit, said deflector being movable between a first position wherein said deflector closes off said further exit and a second position wherein said deflector extends forwardly and downwardly from the conduit for guiding water beneath the craft, said deflector when in said second position being so located that forward movement of the craft tends to cause water supporting the craft to be guided into said further exit by said deflector, and resilient means urging said deflector toward said first position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 910,195 1/1909 Haskill 251-279 X 1,009,943 11/1911 Trainer 137-5276 X 1,960,826 5/1934 Ouellett 11515 2,024,274 12/1955 Campini 35.54 2,940,471 6/1960 Cupp 137--527.6 3,071,101 1/1963 Basso 6035.54 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 567,870 3/1945 Great Britain.

SAMUEL LEVINE, Primary Examiner.

ABRAM BLUM, Examiner. 

1. A CONTROL SYSTEM FOR JET PROPELLED WATERCRAFT COMPRISING A GENERALLY STRAIGHT CONDUIT MOUNTED ON THE CRAFT EXTENDING AND OPENING REARWARDLY THEREOF, MEANS FOR PUMPING WATER THROUGH SAID CONDUIT TO EXHAUST FROM SAID OPENING, SAID CONDUIT BEING CONSTRICTED AT THE OPENING THEREOF FOR FORMING THE WATER INTO A JET, A HOUSING SECURED TO THE CONDUIT AND COVERING THE OPENING THEREOF, SAID HOUSING HAVING A FLAT REARWARD WALL GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID CONDUIT, SAID REARWARD WALL HAVING A CIRCULAR APERTURE THERETHROUGH POSITIONED IN REGISTRY WITH SAID JET, A FLAT CIRCULAR DISC GATE RECEIVED WITHIN SAID HOUSING IN PERPENDICULAR RELATION TO SAID CONDUIT AND HAVING A DIAMETER WHICH IS GREATER THAN SAID CIRCULAR APERTURE, A FIRST ARM ROTATABLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO SAID GATE AT THE AXIS OF THE CIRCULAR CONFIGURATION THEREOF, SAID ARM EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM SID GATE AND BEING VERTICALLY RECIPROCAL TO MOVE SAID GATE TO POSITIONS COVERING AND UNCOVERING SAID APERTURE, A FURTHER ARM ROTATABLY CONNECTED AT ONE END TO THE OTHER END OF SAID FIRST ARM, SAID FURTHER ARM BEING ROTATABLY MOUNTED AT ITS OTHER END ON SAIF CRAFT, MEANS SECURED TO SAID FURTHER ARM AT ITS OTHER END FOR ROTATION THEREOF TO RAISE AND LOWER SAID GATE TO POSITIONS COVERING AND UNCOVERING SAID APERTURE, INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY TAPERING GUIDE MEANS FIXED TO SAID REARWARD WALL AND POSITIONED WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND ARRANGED TO GUIDE SAID GATE INTO SAID APERTURE COVERING POSITION, SAID HOUSING HAVING ONLY ONE FURTHER WATER OUTLET IN ADDITION TO SAID APERTURE, SAID FURTHER OUTLET OPENING DOWNWARDLY, A DEFLECTOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING AT THE REARWARD EDGE OF SAID FURTHER OUTLET AND COVERING SAID FURTHER OUTLET, SID DEFLECTOR BEING PIVOTAL BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION WHEEIN SAID DEFLECTOR CLOSES OFF SAID FURTHER OUTLET AND A SECOND POSITION WHEREIN SAID DEFLECTOR EXTENDS FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY FROM THE CONDUIT BELOW SAID FURTHER OUTLET FOR GUIDING WATER BENEATH THE CRAFT, SAID DEFLECTOR WHEN IN SAID SECOND POSITION BEING SO LOCATED THAT FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE CRAFT TENDS TO CAUSE WATER SUPPORTING THE CRAFT TO BE GUIDED INTO SAID FURTHER OUTLET BY SAID DEFLECTOR, A SPRING FIXED WITH RELATION TO SAID CONDUIT AND BEARING AGAINST SAID DEFLECTOR URGINT IT TOWARD SAID FIRST POSITION, A HOOKSHAPED MEMBER FIXED TO SAID DEFLECTOR, LIMIT MEMBERS FIXED WITH RELATION TO SAID CONDUIT AND POSITIONED FOR ENGAGEMENT BY SAID HOOK-SPAED MEMBER WHEN IN SAID SECOND POSITION FOR LIMITING SAID DEFLECTOR AGAINST MOVEMENT DOWNWARDLY PAST SAID SECOND POSITION. 